PROJECTS

Newtown High School – Our families’ roles in WW1

This project is part of the Welsh Government’s Remembering the First World War – £1000 grant for secondary schools in Wales scheme. Every secondary school in Wales has the opportunity to apply to receive up to £1,000 to develop creative and innovative projects to commemorate the First World War. For more information and guidance on how to apply, click here.

*All text has been provided by the school

Our idea:

The aim of this project is for pupils to research names of ex pupils who took part in the First World War. A visit to the Imperial War Museum and the cenotaph in London will help to inform pupils and the aim is to have a Welsh focus. Pupils will use their research to create a book which will be shared with the community in November 2014 and be used as part of school assemblies on remembrance.

What happened:

Pupils from Newtown High School have researched the lives of those from the school. We began with a list of names, now we have photos, backgrounds and snippets of information regarding their lives during the war. This research was presented as part of a whole school assembly during the week beginning 10 November 2014. In addition, some of the information was displayed on monitors around the school for the whole week.

Newtown High School sent two buses to visit the Tower of London’s poppy display and the Imperial War Museum before stopping by the Cenotaph. The pupils were over-awed with the display and found the museum fascinating. They all felt that they came away with a greater understanding of the context and the significance of the war. They were also pleased to be able to pay their respects by the Cenotaph before we left.

The pupils have put together a folder of those who died from the school to showcase their findings and to provide a lasting legacy for the project. The work will be available in school and a copy is to be offered to local organisations, such as the library and the Newtown Historical Association.